In general, surgical retractors are used to push, pull, hold and/or fold skin, flesh and/or other tissue away from a site where a surgical operation or other intervention is being performed. Retractors have been used to facilitate separation of various tissues from architectures proximal to surgical sites, thereby improving access to and visibility of the sites. Also, retractors have been used to expand cavities or working areas around such sites, providing more room in which to maneuver operating and diagnostic tools.
For cavity expansions, surgical retractors have historically been held in place either by hand or (when hands have been impractical) by rigid support frames. FIG. 1 (prior art) shows a typical retractor support frame 10. The typical retractor support frame 10 includes numerous pieces that form a scaffold-like structure around the surgical site 20. The scaffolding may be anchored to a relatively stationary structure such as the railing 30 of the surgical table on which the patient 40 lies. Various retractors (50, 60, 70, 80, 90) are secured to the frame at suitable points around the site. The typical support frame 10 may also include weight systems or other mechanisms (not shown) for tensioning the retractors in order to sufficiently enlarge the cavity.
However, the complexities of historical retractor systems are not necessary for all surgical procedures.